Raise the Hammer

Re LL's post concerning the "left" support for carbon taxes and taxes in general. A lot must have changed since I was involved in leftist politics. When I was active in that area taxes were viewed as the prime means of redistribution. The idea being that the "rich" and "business" were laughably going to pay the lions share of such in a society that was going to equalize incomes to a degree and provide needed services with the revenue. This was a long time ago so I will take your word that the current crop of reds is more selective of the taxes they support. In response to A Smith you state "If a reduction in energy intensity of the economy is handled in a socially conscious and class conscious way, I think it can produce all kinds of benefits." That is exactly the type of statement I would have expected from a number of people on the left that I knew, I might have even made such a statement myself. It is based on a laughable fallacy; the idea that it would be handled in a class conscious way. When has that ever been done? It happens all the time but not in the way you mean. It will amaze and astound you just how wealthy a government considers you to be when it rolls out a new tax. There is one cash cow to milk and it is the one that can't run away (move or invest elsewhere) or move money around to avoid taxation ie increased RRSP or tax sheltered investment loop hole created to appease higher income earners. Regardless of who takes control of the political machine that is the way it is. I do not know of a party or even a politician with the will to change that do you? Until someone makes a lot of noise followed by some convincing action that they are going to insure that taxation for a start is handled in a socially conscious and class conscious way all the time EVERY time, the current political apathy as evidenced by declining voter turnout will continue. Apathy out of ignorance? Just the opposite the informed cyncism I encounter from young to old indicates to me that people just can't be bothered voting for yet another stooge who's self interest will trump all, or another party who thinks re-inventing themselves means changing T shirts.